Note 8: Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. We capitalize improvements that extend asset lives and expense repairs and maintenance costs as incurred. We record depreciation using the straight-line method over the asset’s estimated useful life. For assets that are sold or retired, we remove the applicable cost and accumulated depreciation and, unless the gain or loss on disposition is presented separately, we recognize it as a component of depreciation expense.

In accordance with accounting guidance related to cable television companies, we capitalize the costs associated with the construction of and improvements to our cable transmission and distribution facilities, costs associated with acquiring and deploying new customer premise equipment, and costs associated with installation of our services. Costs capitalized include all direct costs for labor and materials, as well as various indirect costs. All costs incurred in connection with subsequent disconnects and reconnects are expensed as they are incurred.

We evaluate the recoverability of our property and equipment whenever events or substantive changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The evaluation is based on the cash flows generated by the underlying asset groups, including estimated future operating results, trends or other determinants of fair value. If the total of the expected future undiscounted cash flows were less than the carrying amount of the asset group, we would recognize an impairment charge to the extent the carrying amount of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value. Unless presented separately, the impairment charge is included as a component of depreciation expense.

Acquisitions of Real Estate Properties

Real estate acquisitions in 2013 included NBCUniversal’s purchase from GE of certain properties NBCUniversal occupies at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City and CNBC’s headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Other purchases in 2013 included NBCUniversal’s acquisition of a business whose primary asset is a property located at 10 Universal City Plaza, which is adjacent to our Universal theme park in Hollywood, California, and our acquisition of an 80% interest in a business whose primary asset is our corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The purchase price of these acquisitions is included in the caption “acquisitions and construction of real estate properties” in our consolidated statement of cash flows.

Note 8: Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. We capitalize improvements that extend asset lives and expense repairs and maintenance costs as incurred. We record depreciation using the straight-line method over the asset’s estimated useful life. For assets that are sold or retired, we remove the applicable cost and accumulated depreciation and, unless the gain or loss on disposition is presented separately, we recognize it as a component of depreciation expense.

We evaluate the recoverability of our property and equipment whenever events or substantive changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The evaluation is based on the cash flows generated by the underlying asset groups, including estimated future operating results, trends or other determinants of fair value. If the total of the expected future undiscounted cash flows were less than the carrying amount of the asset group, we would recognize an impairment charge to the extent the carrying amount of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value. Unless presented separately, the impairment charge is included as a component of depreciation expense.

Acquisitions of Real Estate Properties

Real estate acquisitions in 2013 included our purchase from GE of certain properties we occupy at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City and CNBC’s headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Other purchases in 2013 included our acquisition of a business whose primary asset is a property located at 10 Universal City Plaza, which is adjacent to our Universal theme park in Hollywood, California. The purchase price of these acquisitions is included in the caption “acquisitions of real estate properties” in our consolidated statement of cash flows.